Feb. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Copper futures rose to a two-week
high as Europe’s economic growth topped estimates by analysts,
bolstering prospects for increasing metal demand. Tin posted the
biggest gain in more than three months.

Gross domestic product in the euro zone expanded 0.3
percent last quarter, European Union data showed today, more
than the 0.2 percent median forecast of analysts surveyed by
Bloomberg. The dollar fell to the lowest this year against a
basket of 10 currencies, boosting the investment appeal of of
commodities.

“Any time you have GDP numbers or growth numbers that beat
expectations, there’s going to be an underlying assumption that
demand for all raw commodities will be better,” Tim Evans, the
chief market strategist at Long Leaf Trading Group in Chicago,
said in a telephone interview. “That would apply to copper.”

Copper futures for March delivery gained 0.4 percent to
settle at $3.2645 a pound at 1:21 p.m. on the Comex in New York.
Earlier, the price reached $3.27, the highest for a most-active
contract since Jan. 28.

On the London Metal Exchange, copper for delivery in three
months rose 0.6 percent to $7,150 a metric ton ($3.24 a pound).
Zinc, aluminum and lead climbed.